Obligations of governments in the exploitation of wetlands in the light of the Ramsar Convention, with an emphasis on the Urmia wetland

In contemporary international law, due to the advancement of technology and the emergence of new technologies and the development of the environment, especially by governments, protecting the environment as a common heritage of humanity is important and vital. Based on this, wetlands have a special importance for the world community in terms of biodiversity and economic, social and cultural effects, of which Urmia Wetland is a clear example. To protect these ecosystems, international law has established significant regulations within the framework of general and special rules. As a large international wetland, Urmia Lake is included in the Ramsar Convention, a special document governing the protection of wetlands. By following the general rules in accordance with this convention, countries are required to use wetlands wisely and protect them. But in recent years, due to unreasonable exploitation of the Urmia wetland, including the diversion of water by many dams, the road and bridge built on the Urmia lake named Shahid Kalantari, which was completed in November 2017, may cause environmental issues due to the low water level. and intensify the lack of development of modern agriculture, so that the possibility of survival of this crisis by threatening the right to enjoy a healthy environment leads to an environmental disaster and entails Iran's international responsibility. Therefore, it is vital for the country to take appropriate measures for the survival of Lake Urmia by using the environmental capacities of international law and citizenship rights with a focus on sustainable development, especially the 50th